12 GERMINATION.CA JULY 2017 PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE | PART 1 | CROPLIFE CANADA THE YEARS FOLLOWING the Second World War saw major innovation in the plant science industry. New chemistries were developed that changed the face of the industry — yields skyrocketed, and farm- ing as we know it changed forever. In 1952, pesticides began to be regulated in Canada, and the Canadian Agricultural Chemicals Association was formed as an industry association to rep- resent the pesticide industry in Canada. The seed business was in its infancy, and biotechnology unheard of. “Up until the 1970s, production agri- culture was quite traditional. We grew wheat and some barley and oats for a few cattle and pigs and chickens. From a seed perspective, you basically went to the bin every year, cleaned up some crop from the previous year, and planted it. People didn’t buy a heck of a lot of seed in those days,” says Kim McConnell, founder and former CEO of AdFarm, an agriculture- focused marketing and communications firm that has worked extensively with CropLife Canada over the years. Upon the arrival of the 1970s, science and new technology started to emerge. The Canadian Agricultural Chemicals Association began to branch out. “The first developments occurred on the herbicide end of things. The Canadian Agricultural Chemicals Association and its member companies were very progressive and began bring- ing new chemistry, new science and new ideas to Canadian agriculture. They were good leaders and these companies played a key role in advancing Canadian agricul- ture,” McConnell says. “Over the years as technology progressed, particularly when hybrid canola became available, and when new traits were introduced that com- bined the benefits of seed and crop protection products, sales of both seed and crop chemistry really advanced.” In 1986 the Canadian Agricultural Chemicals Association became the Crop Protection Institute of Canada. In 2001 it joined CropLife International and became CropLife Canada, which represents the Canadian manufacturers, developers and distributors of pesticides and products of modern plant breeding. It has 37 active members today, from small companies to the biggest names in the seed business like DuPont, Syngenta, BASF, Monsanto and Bayer. CropLife Canada’s president is Pierre Petelle, who joined CropLife Canada in June 2008 as the director of regulatory affairs and non-ag uses. Prior to joining CropLife Canada, Petelle worked with Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency and in the structural pest control indus- try. He holds a biology degree from Carleton University and an agriculture degree from the University of Guelph. “Although many aspects of the plant science industry have evolved since our organization was first established in 1952, our main purpose remains the same — to advance the collective interests of the plant science industry in Canada,” he says. “We’ve built a reputation with the federal government as a trusted and authoritative voice when it comes to policy-related discussions pertaining to the plant science industry, including seed.” CropLife’s mandate has expanded over the years to include products of plant biotechnology as part of a natural evolution, he notes. AVOICEFORSCIENCE CropLife Canada is known for helping to ensure Canadians have access to a safe, abundant food supply through advancement of crop protection products. 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1945 1950 1952 1957 1960 1970 1977 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 CropLife Canada is formed; it is originally known as the Canadian Agricultural Chemicals Association. Canola is officially named and soon becomes Canada’s third-largest cash crop. Pest management techniques that include new planting methods lessen the reliance on chemistry-based pest control products. The Second World War ends.